Matt Barkley over Andrew Luck: 5 Reasons Why He Could Be Better in the NFL

Throughout the past two years of college football, Andrew Luck has transformed into the darling of all quarterback prospects.

He has been labeled the replacement for one of the best quarterbacks of all time, among many other things. Heisman preseason favorite, easy lock for the No. 1 pick and having through-the-roof expectations, Luck is considered the top quarterback prospect since Peyton Manning.

With all the hype over Luck, and the certainty of him being the first overall pick in the draft, it's clear he will be the best quarterback to come out of this class. Or is he?

Enter Matt Barkley, known as the "other" college quarterback in California. While leading the probation-stricken USC Trojans to a 10-win season, Barkley has slowly but steadily gained steam in the Heisman race, with his numbers rivaling, if not surpassing Luck's.

But looking past the Heisman, the real question is how Barkley will do in the pros. Or an even more specific one: How will he compare to Luck in the NFL?

While it may seem crazy, he may end up being better than Luck. Here's some reasons why...

Throwing Motion

Barkley worked a lot in the offseason on his throwing motion, and he has clearly exhibited that the hard work payed off.

Barkley's mechanics are flawless, with a high release and a quick motion to go with it. Luck has been credited with having a great release on his throws, but he occasionally has "something extra" attached in his windup.

At Stanford, Luck hasn't had to worry about the little glitch, which doesn't even seem to be part of his actual motion of throwing. But in the NFL, anything to slow down the release of a pass is a major plus for the opponent's defense.

Though neither have much problems at all with their throwing motion, Barkley continues to get better and better week in and week out with his mechanics and in other aspects (reading the defense pre-snap, going through progressions, etc.).

Offensive Scheme

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Though the Colts may clean house to bring in a coordinator that's fits Luck's style, there are also plenty of teams that would suit Barkley from the scheme standpoint.

The Seahawks and Redskins (both at 4-7 and could be drafting high) both run the West Coast offense, which is the same as at USC. Seeing as both of those teams may draft in the top 10, there's a chance one of them nab Barkley if the Colts trade Luck to Miami.

Seeing as the only team below these two that don't have a set QB is Miami (suggesting the Colts will have Luck or Manning), the likelihood raises even more.

Staying on the West Coast, which would be big for Barkley, he would be reunited with a man he knows well—Pete Carroll.

All this could make for a much smoother transition into the NFL for Barkley, which may not be quite the same for Luck in Indy.

Throwing Under Duress

Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesCould Matt Barkley possibly just as good in the NFL as Andrew Luck?

Something I saw in the Stanford-Oregon game, and have seen many times when watching Andrew Luck, is his decision making when he is about to be hit.

Sometimes, whether by supreme confidence in his ability or whatever else it may be, Luck will throw the ball in a sea of people rather than throw it away or take a sack.

Sometimes he'll be near the sideline, about to get hit, and try to make an almost impossible play, rather than throw the ball out-of-bounds.

He also made two of these kinds of plays against the Ducks. One was a fumble that he tried to draw back and throw rather than take a sack as defenders crashed in, and the other was a throw he made while being taken down to the ground, which would have been an interception if it hadn't have been dropped.

This may be the reason he has a pair of extra interceptions more than Barkley despite having four less touchdown passes. It of course could also be partially credited for Barkley's superior wide receivers, so take it however you like.

Though Luck is as smart as they come, Barkley is not far behind, and he goes through his progressions just as well (if not better) as Luck.